Display Device, Method of Manufacturing Display Device and Electronic Device Including Display Device

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0080918, filed on Jun. 21, 2024, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0092675, filed on Jul. 12, 2024, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. § 119, the contents of which in their entirety are herein incorporated by reference.

The present disclosure relates to a display device, a method of manufacturing the display device and an electronic device including the display device.

With the development of information technology, the importance of a display device that is a connecting medium between a user and information is being highlighted. In response to this, the use of display devices, such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic light emitting display device, and a micro light emitting diode display device, is increasing.

During a manufacturing process of a display device, when a defect occurs in a light emitting element, a process of replacing the light emitting element may be performed. In this process, a conductive material in a liquid state is used, and as the conductive material overflows, a short circuit may occur between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode of a light emitting element.

A technical object to be achieved is to provide a display device that may prevent a short circuit between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode of a light emitting element, and a method of manufacturing the display device.

An embodiment provides a display device including: a substrate; a pixel circuit layer disposed on the substrate; a first electrode formed on the pixel circuit layer; a second electrode formed on the pixel circuit layer and spaced apart from the first electrode; and a light emitting element connected to the first electrode and the second electrode through a conductive material. An overflow prevention pattern formed on at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is configured to prevent an overflow of the conductive material or control a direction of the overflow of the conductive material.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may be engraved on one or more of the first electrode and the second electrode.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may include at least one polygonal pattern.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may include at least one of an elliptical pattern and a circular pattern.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may include a plurality of stripe-shaped patterns formed on the first electrode and extending in a first direction. The plurality of stripe-shaped patterns may be repeatedly disposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In an embodiment, each of the plurality of stripe-shaped patterns may have a predetermined depth.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may include a plurality of stripe-shaped patterns repeatedly disposed on the first electrode, in a first direction, and the plurality of stripe-shaped patterns may extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In an embodiment, each of the plurality of stripe-shaped patterns may include a stepped portion including a plurality of bottom surfaces, and the plurality of bottom surfaces may be disposed in the second direction and have different respective depths.

In an embodiment, for each of the plurality of stripe-shaped patterns, the respective depths of the plurality of bottom surfaces may increase in a direction from the second electrode.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may include a plurality of trapezoidal patterns repeatedly disposed on the first electrode in a first direction. The plurality of trapezoidal patterns may extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In an embodiment, widths of the plurality of trapezoidal patterns may increase in a direction away from the second electrode.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may include a plurality of wave-shaped patterns formed on the first electrode and extending in a first direction. The plurality of wave-shaped patterns may be repeatedly disposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Another embodiment provides a method of manufacturing a display device including: forming a first electrode and a second electrode on a pixel circuit layer; connecting a light emitting element to the first electrode and the second electrode; performing a test operation on the light emitting element; removing the light emitting element based on determining, at least in part from performing the test operation, a defect has occurred in the light emitting element; and forming an overflow prevention pattern on at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the overflow prevention pattern is configured to prevent an overflow of a conductive material or control a direction of the overflow of the conductive material.

In an embodiment, the method may further include disposing the conductive material on the first electrode and the second electrode; and connecting a replacement light emitting element to the first electrode and the second electrode through the conductive material.

In an embodiment, the disposing of the conductive material on the first electrode and the second electrode may include spraying the conductive material onto the first electrode and the second electrode by using an inkjet method.

Another embodiment provides a method of manufacturing a display device including: forming, in a defective area, a first electrode and a second electrode including an overflow prevention pattern for preventing a conductive material from overflowing; connecting a light emitting element to the first electrode and the second electrode; performing a test operation on the light emitting element; and removing the light emitting element based on determining, at least in part from performing the test operation, a defect has occurred in the light emitting element.

In an embodiment, the method may further include disposing the conductive material on the first electrode and the second electrode; and connecting a replacement light emitting element to the first electrode and the second electrode through the conductive material.

In an embodiment, the disposing of the conductive material on the first electrode and the second electrode may include spraying the conductive material onto the first electrode and the second electrode by using an inkjet method.

Another embodiment provides an electronic device a processor to provide input image data, and a display device to display an image based on the input image data. The display device includes: a substrate; a pixel circuit layer disposed on the substrate; a first electrode formed on the pixel circuit layer; a second electrode formed on the pixel circuit layer and spaced apart from the first electrode; and a light emitting element connected to the first electrode and the second electrode through a conductive material. An overflow prevention pattern formed on at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is configured to prevent an overflow of the conductive material or control a direction of the overflow of the conductive material.

In an embodiment, the overflow prevention pattern may be engraved on one or more of the first electrode and the second electrode.

According to a display device, a method of manufacturing the display device, and an electronic device including the display device of the present disclosure, a short circuit between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode of a light emitting element may be prevented.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. It should be noted that parts for understanding operations of the present disclosure will be described in the following description and the other parts will be omitted so as not to obscure the gist of the present disclosure. In some aspects, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. However, the embodiments described herein are provided in detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs to easily practice the technical idea of the present disclosure.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be “connected” to another part, this includes not only a case where the part is “directly connected” thereto but also a case where the part is “indirectly connected” thereto with another element therebetween. The terms used herein are intended to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Throughout the specification, when a part is said to “include” a certain component, this means that other components may be further included rather than excluded unless otherwise specifically stated. “At least one of X, Y, and Z”, and “at least one selected from a group consisting of X, Y, and Z” may be interpreted as one X, one Y, one Z, or any combination (for example, XYZ, XYY, YZ, or ZZ) of two or more of X, Y, and Z. Herein, “and/or” includes any combination of one or more of the components.

Herein, although terms, such as, for example, first and second, may be used to describe various components, such components are not limited to the terms. The terms are used to distinguish one component from another component. Therefore, a first component may refer to a second component without departing from the scope disclosed herein.

Spatially relative terms, such as, for example, “below”, “above,” and the like, may be used for descriptive purposes, thereby describing a relationship of one element or feature to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the drawings. The spatially relative terms are intended to include different directions in use, operation, and/or manufacturing, in addition to the direction illustrated in the drawings. In an example in which the device illustrated in the drawing is turned over, components described as being disposed “below” other components or features are disposed “above” the other components or features. Therefore, In an embodiment, the term “below” may include both above and below. Furthermore, the device may be oriented in another direction (for example, rotated 90 degrees or in another direction), and the spatially relative terms used herein are interpreted according thereto.

The term “substantially,” as used herein, means approximately or actually. The term “substantially equal” means approximately or actually equal. The term “substantially the same” means approximately or actually the same.

Various embodiments are described with reference to drawings illustrating example embodiments. Accordingly, it will be expected that the shapes may change depending on, for example, tolerances and/or manufacturing techniques. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein should not be construed as being limited to the illustrated specific shapes, but should be construed to include a change in shape which occurs, for example, as a result of manufacturing. As such, the shapes illustrated in the drawings may not illustrate the actual shapes of areas of a device, and the present embodiments are not limited thereto.

is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a display device.

Referring to, a display device DD may include a display panel DP, a gate driver, a data driver, a voltage generator, and a controller.

The display panel DP includes sub-pixels SP. The sub-pixels SP may be connected to the gate driverthrough first to m-th gate lines GLto GLm. The sub-pixels SP may be connected to the data driverthrough first to n-th data lines DLto DLn.

The sub-pixels SP may generate light of two or more colors. For example, each of the sub-pixels SP may generate light of, for example, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, and the like.

A pixel PXL may include two or more sub-pixels among the sub-pixels SP For example, the pixel PXL may include three sub-pixels as illustrated in. Accordingly, for example, the pixel PXL may emit light of various colors and various types of luminance depending on combinations of light emitted from the sub-pixels included in the pixel PXL.

The gate driveris connected to the sub-pixels SP arranged in a row direction through first to m-th gate lines GLto GLm. The gate drivermay output gate signals to the first to m-th gate lines GLto GLm in response to a gate control signal GCS. In embodiments, the gate control signal GCS may include a start signal indicating the start of each frame, a horizontal synchronization signal, and the like.

The gate drivermay be disposed on one side of the display panel DP. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the gate drivermay include two or more drivers that are physically and/or logically separated, and such drivers may be disposed on one side of the display panel DP and the other side of the display panel DP opposite to the one side. Accordingly, for example, the gate drivermay be disposed around the display panel DP in various forms according to the embodiments.

The data driveris connected to the sub-pixels SP arranged in a column direction through first to n-th data lines DLto DLn. The data driverreceives image data DATA and a data control signal DCS from the controller. The data driveroperates in response to the data control signal DCS. In embodiments, the data control signal DCS may include a source start signal, a source shift clock signal, a source output enable signal, and the like.

The data drivermay receive a voltage from a voltage generator. The data drivermay apply data signals having grayscale voltages corresponding to the image data DATA to the first to n-th data lines DLto DLn by using the received voltages. In an example in which a gate signal is applied to each of the first to m-th gate lines GLto GLm, data signals corresponding to the image data DATA may be applied to the first to n-th data lines DLto DLm. Accordingly, the sub-pixels SP may generate light corresponding to the data signals, and the display panel DP may display an image.

In embodiments, the gate driverand the data drivermay each include complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit elements.

The voltage generatormay operate in response to a voltage control signal VCS output from the controller. The voltage generatoris configured to generate a plurality of voltages and provide the generated voltages to components of the display device DD, such as, for example, the gate driver, the data driver, and the controller. The voltage generatormay generate a plurality of voltages by receiving an input voltage from the outside of the display deviceand regulating the received voltage.

The voltage generatormay generate a first power voltage and a second power voltage. The generated first and second power voltages may be provided to the sub-pixels SP through power lines PL. In another embodiments, at least one of the first power voltage and the second power voltage may be provided from the outside of the display device.

In some aspects, the voltage generatormay provide various voltages and/or signals. For example, the voltage generatormay generate one or more initialization voltages applied to the sub-pixels SP. For example, during a sensing operation of sensing electrical characteristics of transistors and/or light emitting elements of the sub-pixels SP, a predetermined reference voltage may be applied to the first to n-th data lines DLto DLn, and the voltage generatormay generate a reference voltage and transmit the reference voltage to the data driver. For example, during a display operation of displaying an image on the display panel DP, common pixel control signals may be applied to sub-pixels SP, and the voltage generatormay generate the pixel control signals. In embodiments, the voltage generatormay provide the pixel control signals to the sub-pixels SP through pixel control lines PXCL. Althoughillustrate that the pixel control lines PXCL are connected between the voltage generatorand the display panel DP, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the pixel control lines PXCL may be connected between the gate driverand the display panel DP. In this case, pixel control signals may be transmitted from the gate driverto the sub-pixels SP through the pixel control lines PXCL.

The controllercontrols all operations of the display device. The controllerreceives input image data IMG and a control signal CTRL corresponding to the input image data IMG from the outside. In response to the control signal CTRL, the controllermay provide the gate control signal GCS, the data control signal DCS, and a voltage control signal VCS.

The controllermay convert the input image data IMG to be suitable for the display deviceor the display panel DP and output the image data DATA. In embodiments, the controllermay align the input image data IMG to be suitable for the sub-pixels SP of a row unit and output the image data DATA.

Two or more of the data driver, the voltage generator, and the controllermay be mounted on a single integrated circuit. As illustrated in, the data driver, the voltage generator, and the controllermay be included in a driver integrated circuit DIC. In this case, the data driver, the voltage generator, and the controllermay be functionally separate components in a single driver integrated circuit DIC. In other embodiments, at least one of the data driver, the voltage generator, and the controllermay be provided as a separate component from the driver integrated circuit DIC.

is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of one of the sub-pixels SP of.illustrates an example of a sub-pixel SPij arranged in the i-th row (i is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m) and the j-th column (j is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to n) among the sub-pixels SP of.

Referring to, the sub-pixel SPij may include a sub-pixel circuit SPC and a light emitting element LD.